It was in September when I broke my hotrod's motor. Things are looking up now.
I static set the timing and it was right on the money...go figure. Filled up the float bowls and hit the gas a couple of times and VROOM!
No leaks or bad noises coming from the engine so big smiles here.
Now on to setting the hydraulic throw out bearing as I was able to remove the "hatchet" counter weight plate behind the flywheel on this motor and then getting all those parts and pieces back into that little space under the hood.

I'm adding an oil pressure light so a little dash R&R will be necessary and I still have to set up the front end alignment as I replaced all the ball joints.
Then it should be ready to do some road work.

I posted a video of the test stand, click on the "gear" in the lower right of the video and pick HD.

Here's another one of my long winded progress report.
No pictures this time but I just had to share this one.

I got the motor in the car. Won't start.
So I do the reset distributor thing over and over and over.

It's got spark and fuel won't start! I had dropped the cap while moving things around on the bench during the build, it looked ok but I got a new one any way.
Won't start! Not only wont start, it wont even hit and run badly.

Finally I put the distributor and coil on that I used on the run stand. Won't start!
Out of desperation I went to the shed and got a can of starting fluid. One squirt and vroom vroom.

3days and one squirt later and all's well in the garage again.
I can only think that the rings are not seated in yet so there is just not quite enough compression to hit. On the stand the cylinders were well oiled so I assume that they sealed up better. And every other time I started it the motor was still warm.

Almost seems there was a temporary lack of fuel rather than spark. Maybe there was air in the fuel line that kept it from getting to the carb for a short while? Guessing that if you started it subsequently, it fired right off?

Starts when warm ok. I don't think no fuel was the problem. The Holley double pumper dumps lots of fuel when you move the throttle. for a while I thought I had flooded it.
I have to pull the distributor to get the motor back in (its in the wrong place you know..lol) that is why I had to redo the timing after I had it running on the stand.

It hasn't cooled off enough to see if now that the timing is set that it will start without help. Fires right up after it gets going so I am hopeful.

I ran though the gears while on the lift. Transmission feels real good. And no grinding going into 5th anymore. Still have a list of small to medium things left to do. But should be on the road in a few days.

As the old saying goes. "What is wrong with these pictures"?
The alternator was the last part left to bolt on however as the pictures show no holes.
Sure wish I had seen the holes missing while the motor was out of the car.

Had to pull the electric steering back out but I can get to the bosses. So its just another aspect of the hobby. As I keep telling myself, if there were no problems to fix....why have a hot rod cobra. If no problems all that is left to do is wax it....I hate waxing.